Karen stood by the hotel room she stayed. The curtain of the window was pulled open, letting the early morning sun sip into the room. She was still in her pajamas, her hair was scattered, indicating that she just got out of bed. She stood, looking across the city from the window, her mind disturbed and in deep thoughts.
“Had Jack realized that she was no longer in LA?”
“Was he going to look for her?” the thoughts ran through her mind as the watched the beautiful sunrise.
She soon got tired of standing and went to take her bathe. Stripping naked, she walked into the Ensuite to take her bathe. She heated up the water and stepped into the bath, relaxing in the warm water.
She soon finished taking her bath and stepped out of the water, wrapping herself in a long towel. She dried herself before creaming her body. She soon got dressed in jeans trousers, a blouse top and a long coat. It was around eight AM, the weather slightly unfriendly when she stepped out of the hotel building. She walked a few steps, bending at the nearby corner before she saw a cafe. She opened the beautifully decorated glass door and stepped into the cafe, taking a seat by the window.
“A cup of cappuccino and a lemon bar.” She placed her order as a waiter walked up to her. She smiled warmly at her before back to go prepare the coffee. She took the time to look around the cafe. It was a beautiful cafe that had over thirty tables arranged beautiful with flowers on every one of them. So far, she could count three baristers serving the customers. It was the early morning rush, so the cafe was almost filled up. Workers, students, both aged and young stopped by the cafe to grab a cup of coffee before going for their daily activities.
Soon, her coffee arrived and the barista flashed her a warm smile before dropping it on the table. She returned the smile.
“Enjoy” the attendant smiled, walking away.
She picked up her cup of hot coffee, and blowing air to it, she took a little sip. The hot coffee went down her throat, warming up her body. She savoured the taste of the coffee before taking a bite from the lemon bar. She held a proud smile on her face after taking another sip. It was one of the best coffee she had ever tasted. She had found her favourite place in New York.
She soon dawned the entire cup of coffee, and soon, the table attendant came back to clear the table.
“Can I spend few minutes working here?” She questioned, pointing at her laptop on the table.
“Yes ma, definitely.” the waiter smiled at her, clearing the table. Seems she loved smiling too much.
The television in the cafe was on, the volume put at barest. The state news was being broadcasted, but with one sweep across the room, one would notice that nobody there was interested in the news. Karen took one glance at the television, shaking her head at the picture being displayed.
“Greedy old politicians” she muttered, returning her gaze to her laptop.
***
Jack sat on his executive chair behind the large mahogany table of his new office. He wasn’t at his company, no. He was at his father’s company. His father had made him a deputy CEO in the company many years ago, but due to the strain in their relationship, he had avoided getting involved in his father’s business, but now that his was sick and on an involuntarily retirement, he knew he had to step up, plus, he had promised his parents that he was going to take charge.
He turned in his chair, looking round the office. It wasn’t as big as his office in his company, but it was well furnished, even more than his office. Perks of being a jewelry and art store CEO. The office was beautifully decorated with the most expensive arts displayed on the wall. There were few pieces of gold, silver and some precious stones that was beautifully displayed in a transparent case in one side of the office. It was sure to be a eye catcher and it was the first thing that caught his attention when he stepped in that morning.
He rang the electronic bell on his table, and few minutes later, the secretary whose office was in front of his rushed in. She looked a little too grumpy to him, but he decided not to comment. Today was his first day in the firm and he was even yet to know her name so there was definitely no way he was going to start judging characters.
“Yes sir.” She stated, her head bent a little after standing for over a minute without Jack saying anything. She has gotten uncomfortable in the cold silence and so decided to speak up, maybe remind him that she was still there.
“Get me all the financial files dated three months ago till present.” he stated, his eyes not leaving her timid frame. She nodded multiple times before backing away slowly untill his voice stopped her.
“What did you say your name is?” he questioned and she sighed a bit in relief. He only wanted to ask for her name
“Anne, Anne Jones” She answered, her voice barely audible. She doubted if he heard her, but when she didn’t hear anything from him again, she assumed he had gotten his answer so he walked out, almost bouncing. This was the third time she was telling him her name but it seem every time she told him, he just tasted the name on his tongue and dumped it like some expired food. She realized that she might soon have to be telling him her name everytime she walked into his office.
Once she got to her office and was comfortably seated, she heaved a sigh, releasing the breadth she didn’t know she was holding. She had gotten really nervous back in the office. She knew who Jack Antonio was, or at least she thought she knew. She followed celebrity gossip blogs and always followed up stories about everyone of them, Jack inclusive. From the little she learnt from the blogs and some workers here, she knew he wasn’t someone to be worked with, he loved his work and wouldn’t hesitate to throw you out if you made one mistake, no matter how little he was. So for a junior staff like herself, she knew she was just a step away from a sack letter if she didn’t impress and a sack letter was not something she wanted.
“Five hundred thousand dollars spent last month on expenses.” Jack quoted from the document as he studied it. Anne had returned ten minutes later after leaving his office. She was retracted the documents from the audit department.
He had requested for the financial report files for the three months that his father had been away from official duties at the office and from what he was seeing, his father’s money was being stolen. He didn’t know much about his father’s line of business, but from the little he knew in business, he knew that a small firm like his dad’s couldn’t spend half a million dollars in a month. What were they paying for? Their staff strength was less than fifty and apart from payment of salaries and power, they had no other expenses to cover.
He seethed in anger as he realized that there were corrupt men working for his father and stealing from him. His pen danced dangerously in his hand as he stared at the salary estimate he has drafted up. Over one hundred and fifty thousand dollars had been stolen that month.
He rang the doorbell again, waiting patiently for Anne who rushed in seconds later. One look at his face and she knew nothing was okay. She could literally touch the tension that hung around the room. He sat on his chair smirking evilly at her while she shook in fear from just standing some metres away from him.
“Anne Jones.” He called out her name and her eyebrows drew in confusion. “He remembered her name. This was definitely something disastrous.” She thought, raising her face and staring at him.
***
Karen sat in the cafe as she worked quietly on her laptop. She has ordered for another cup of coffee to keep her company while she worked. She typed rigorously into her laptop as he she quinted at the screen. She had travelled and left work under the care of her assistant, though she worked from home, from holiday rather. Her business was rather stable now, though it’s revenue had fallen considerably since it’s launch, she was able to paddle it to stability.
Her heart skipped a beat as a thought of Jack crossed her mind. He was the reason her business crumbled and now, he wanted to get into her child’s life, her life.
She scoffed at the thought, her demeanour changing. She admitted that she had been in love with Jack, was still in love with him, but she couldn’t allow him back into her life, she just couldn’t risk it.